Vinnie, Me, And Maura Makes Three
by propertyofjanerizzoli
Summary: After realizing her feelings for Maura, Jane is reluctant to tell her eight-year-old son Vinnie for fear of how he'll react to his "Aunt" Maura becoming his mom's first girlfriend.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I've been having some serious Mommy Jane feels and I couldn't resist writing about them. :)**

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><p>For weeks, every moment of Jane's spare time revolved around planning a birthday party and driving to different party stores in the greater Boston area to track down the supplies she needed because the soon-to-be eight-year-old Vinnie Rizzoli couldn't commit to a single party theme. His first theme of choice was Batman until his heart became set on a sports party and then a LEGO party until, just one week before the party was scheduled, he decided to have a water gun party complete with a Batman cake, LEGO-themed plates, and baseball-shaped napkins because, by the time Vinnie had suggested a water gun party, Jane insisted that she was no longer shopping for more party supplies.<p>

"There, you have everything and you don't have to make up your mind," Jane said as Vinnie sifted through the party supplies Jane had purchased during the weeks he kept insisting on new themes. "I'm not going to buy anything else."

Vinnie looked at her with pleading eyes. "Just one more thing and you don't even have to go to the store for it."

"No," Jane said, sternly.

"Please, Ma. Just one more thing."

Jane always tried to be a strict parent, but whenever Vinnie gave her that pleading look, she found it hard not to give in to him. As a son, he was ideal. His teachers always told Jane he was a pleasure to have in class, he rarely acted up at home, and he always showed respect toward the adults in his life. Although he was never asked to, Vinnie had been her rock throughout the past year. He was there to comfort her when she lost her partner and one of her best friends, Frost, whom he always referred to as Uncle Barry. When she miscarried, Vinnie was there to hold her hand and tell her that everything is going to be okay. "My brother or sister is in Heaven now, Ma. It's okay. He or she is with Uncle Barry and Great-grandma and Great-grandpa. They're going to take good care of the baby for you. He or she isn't alone. The baby is an angel watching over us now." What he said moved her to tears unlike his reaction to Casey leaving. "We didn't need him anyway," Vinnie said before returning to his video game. And they didn't or so Jane realized after thinking about her son's reaction. If her son had such a blasé attitude toward the departure of a man who could possibly become his stepdad, Jane knew it was for the best that they ended their relationship. Vinnie had no qualms with Jane dating—he _wanted_ Jane to be happy—but he noticed Casey caused his mom more heartache than happiness and, as the main man in Jane's life, Vinnie did all he could to protect his mom from getting hurt even if it meant telling Maura or Grandma Angela to barge in whenever Casey spent the night. "She can't get close to him," Vinnie told Maura. "He's an asshole."

With all that he had been through with her, Jane couldn't find it in her heart to say no to a simple party request. "What is this _one_ thing, Vincenzo?"

"I need you to call all my friends and tell them to bring their water guns and wear clothes to get wet in and maybe we can get some water balloons. Okay, I lied about not having to go to the store, but that's the last thing, I swear."

"Yes to the water balloons," Jane began. "And no to calling a bunch of kids on the telephone, but I _will _call their parents."

Vinnie scooted closer to his mom on the couch so he could give her a quick hug. "Thanks, Ma. You're the best!"

"You say that now," Jane said as she twisted his baseball cap around so the bill of the cap faced the front instead of the back like Vinnie preferred. "But you're not going to feel that way when I tell you to do your homework. With that being said, go do your homework."

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><p>Jane's apartment was too small to host a party for twenty children and, with Vinnie's father living half an hour away, his house was too far of a drive for the parents of Vinnie's friends, so Frank and Angela had offered to let Jane host Vinnie's party at their house. The backyard was large enough for the children to run around and Angela was thrilled with being able to host her grandson's birthday party and relieving some of the stress from Jane.<p>

"I'll take care of the decorating and the party favors and I'll be here the whole time. Jeff will take care of the pizza, cake, and ice cream and he'll be here, too, to help with the kids," Jane reassured her mom although over a week had passed since Frank and Angela had agreed to host the party, but Angela was far more worried about her daughter than the fact that all of her grandson's friends would soon be running around in her backyard.

"Janie, you've been through so much this year," Angela said as she sat down at the kitchen table with Jane, just half an hour before the party. "You owe it to yourself to have fun with your little boy. Go out there and take pictures of him, be in charge of some of the games, and play water balloon toss with him. He's already eight, Janie. You only have a few years left before he's a teenager and he's off in his own world. Let your father and I take care of the little things during the party. Frankie and Tommy will be here to help, too."

"Maura will be here, too," Jane smiled.

"That goes without saying," Angela pointed out. "When are you going to tell Vinnie?"

"It's not that easy," Jane responded. "He's only seen me with men."

"And he's seen you unhappy with all of them," Angela interjected. "Vinnie wants you to be happy. He tells your father and me. He tells Maura. He even tells Jeff. You have a good little boy and you need to give him more credit. He's smart, Janie, and he understands more than you think he does."

"I think it's more than a fear of Vinnie's reaction," Jane struggled to say. "Telling Vinnie means fully coming to terms with this and realizing the reason why my relationship with Jeff and every other man has failed. I know what happened with Casey wasn't entirely my fault, but I wanted Maura the whole time."

"Ma!" Vinnie ran into the kitchen. "Pop is here with the pizzas. I'm gonna help bring them in!"

Jane smiled at her son's enthusiasm. "They're heavy so don't carry more than one at a time," she insisted.

"I'm strong now," Vinnie scoffed. "Did you forget I was lifting weights with you last night?"

Before she could respond, her son was out the door. He had already changed into his swim trunks and his favorite Red Sox cap, one that had belonged to Jane when she was a child, was securely on his head. It was only a matter of time before Vinnie's friends arrived, so Jane decided to set aside her worries about telling Vinnie and spend the rest of the day enjoying her son's party.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for subscribing and telling me what you think about the story. I hope you enjoy Chapter 2. :)**

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><p>Just as he was told <em>not <em>to do, Vinnie walked into the house carrying two large pizzas in his arms instead of just one. He was struggling, but Jane knew giving her son a lecture about not listening wouldn't stop him from struggling and grabbing one from him would only offend him so instead she watched as he slowly placed them on top of the kitchen table. "See, Ma? We lifted weights last night and now I'm strong like you." The weights Jane had purchased for him were two-pound weights, but he was proud of himself for finally learning how to do bicep curls like his mom.

"Look at those arms!" Jane said as Vinnie flexed his biceps. "Keep it up and soon you'll be lifting the same weights that I do." There was no noticeable change in her son's biceps, but just the thought of someday being able to lift the same size weights that his mom did made Vinnie feel strong.

"Pop!" Vinnie said as his dad walked into the kitchen carrying the other four pizzas they had ordered for the party. He was going to tell his dad what his mom had said about getting stronger, but he was distracted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. "I'll get it!"

"Vinnie, wait!" Jane rushed to the doorway to join the overly-excited birthday boy in case one of his friends had arrived and she had to explain the details to a parent. As she had expected, it was his best friend Aiden and his mom. Vinnie and Aiden wasted no time before saying goodbye to his mom and running to the backyard to play with their water guns.

"I packed an overnight bag for Aiden because he said he is spending the night," his mother, Mrs. Moretti, said as she handed a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles backpack to Jane along with Vinnie's gift. "I know it's not a sleepover, but you never know with those two."

"Aiden is always welcome to stay," Jane smiled. He was a well-behaved kid and the only friend of Vinnie's that Jane didn't mind having over for the night, especially because Mrs. Moretti always let Vinnie stay with them whenever Jane was called-in on a school night and didn't have time to drive him to her parents' house or his dad's house.

"Same with Vinnie," Mrs. Moretti responded. "See you in a few hours or tomorrow morning. Have fun, Jane, and I hope you keep your sanity with all these kids that'll be here."

"That's what Vinnie's dad and my brothers are for," Jane quipped. "I'm just cutting the cake and hosting the games."

Jane had every intention of running around with her little boy and his friends, but for a brief moment she was caught up in being one of them—the moms she met at back-to-school night at Vinnie's elementary school, women who were married and, most importantly, straight. She had never been married to Jeff and they hadn't been romantically involved since Vinnie was three-years-old, but whenever she mentioned Jeff in front of them and the one occasion that they had seen her with Casey, they treated her like she was one of them rather than an outcast who was in a male-dominated career field and was stronger than even some of their husbands were. When she was with a man, they felt as if they could finally understand her and she was fulfilling her role as a woman.

As she was closing the door, she was startled to feel someone place their hand on her shoulder. "Janie?" She turned around to see Jeff standing there. "Do you mind if we talk in private?"

Jane peeked into the kitchen to make sure no one would be able to hear them. Her dad and her brothers weren't there yet and her mom was in the backyard with Vinnie and Aiden, so if they were going to talk it either had to be in that moment or wait until after the party. "Yeah," Jane motioned to the couch. "Have a seat." She sat next to him on the couch with just enough distance between them so they could speak softly and still hear each other.

"I got you something," he said as he handed her a gift card to a coffee shop. "I know it's not as thoughtful as the other gifts I've given you but it was last minute and I know you don't like receiving flowers. You pretend to like them, but I know you're thinking 'great, now what the hell am I supposed to do with these?' and I figured caffeine is something you actually want."

"You still know me," Jane smiled at him. Every year since Vinnie was born, Jeff had given her a gift on Vinnie's birthday as a way of thanking her for bringing him into the world. When they were a couple, he'd spoil her with a romantic evening, but now that they were no longer together he'd still make an effort to give her a small yet thoughtful gift. "Thanks for the gift card and for helping me bring him into this world, too."

"You did all the work. I was just there for the fun part," Jeff quipped. "Although, I do remember you nearly breaking my hand when you were in labor. I think pregnancy gave you an even stronger grip than you already had."

Five years had passed since their relationship ended and Jane was glad they were able to get along so well, but she knew there had to be a reason why he wanted to talk to her with no one else around. "Jeff, I know there's something else you want to talk about."

Jane noticed his hesitation. "It's about Maura."

"What about Maura?"

"You smile at the sound of her name," Jeff pointed out. "Janie, I know she's your girlfriend and the signs were always there that you preferred women, but I'm concerned about Vinnie. When are you going to tell him?"

It was the subject Jane was hoping to avoid that day. "Can we talk about this some other time?"

"When are we ever together like this?" Jeff asked. "I'm glad that you're happy. Since our relationship ended, that's all I've ever wanted for you, but we have a child together and eventually he is going to have questions and I'd rather him find out from one of us so we could answer his questions. Janie, he asks me why Maura always spends the night and if other women your age have sleepovers. I'm starting to run out of things to tell him. What if he walks in on the two of you?"

"What if he walks in on you with a woman?" Jane snapped. She had yet to have sex with Maura, but it was yet another subject that she didn't want to discuss with Jeff or anyone other than her girlfriend.

When Jane and Jeff had become a couple, Angela was certain that her daughter had found the man she was meant to spend the rest of her life with. Jane was twenty-eight and had no desire to settle down, but she enjoyed the time she spent with Jeff and, when she found out she was pregnant a year later, her family was almost certain that an engagement would soon follow. She was in love with Jeff, or so she thought, but marriage had never appealed to Jane so she proposed the idea of them living together instead. They had their baby boy and each other and, from the outside looking in, they were a perfect family, but Jane and Jeff's sex life had become non-existent although it was never that active to begin with. It was Jeff that ended the relationship and he had blamed himself to spare Jane the confusion and pain of admitting to herself that she wasn't sexually attracted to men and it pained him to see the woman he had once considered the love of his life become involved with other men rather than accepting herself for who she really was.

"Sorry. I didn't mean it like that," Jeff pointed out. "I just want you to know that I can be there with you when you tell him, so we can both explain to him...when you're ready."

"I can manage," Jane smiled.. "But I'll let you know when I'm going to tell him so you can pick him up right after. You know he's gonna want you to."

"Vinnie isn't like that," Jeff reassured her, although neither of them were sure how their son would react. "He won't want to leave you."

"He's an eight-year-old kid," Jane reminded him. "And he's going to find out that his mom is gay and the woman that he calls his Aunt Maura is really his mom's girlfriend. It's going to end in one of two ways, Jeff. He's either going to think it's disgusting or he's going to be upset that I lied to him."

"You didn't lie to him. You just didn't tell him," he said as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Everything is going to be okay. You're a good mom, Janie, and a strong woman. You've been through so much this year and you've—"

"You kissed her cheek?" Vinnie interrupted. "Are you two getting back together like you were when I was a baby?"

Jane looked at her little boy. _If he only knew. _"Do you remember what your dad and I told you?"

"Yeah, yeah," Vinnie sighed. "You and Pop love me very much and you love each other but you're not in love." He was going to ask if he could open a present, but he was distracted by the sound of the doorbell ringing yet again. "More friends!"

There were five more children that showed up over the next ten minutes and another ten who showed up within the next half an hour, all with water guns and swim trunks. Every guest that showed up would quickly say hello to Jane and Jeff before being escorted by Vinnie to the backyard. Frankie and Tommy had arrived just moments earlier and Jane was grateful that there were another two adults out there to help Angela with the kids while she and Jeff continued their conversation.

Jane wasn't any closer to knowing the right time or the right way to tell Vinnie, but she had a support system and another member of that support system had just arrived. "Aunt Maura!" Vinnie said excitedly. "You're here! And you brought a present! Can I open it?"

Her usually flawlessly-dressed girlfriend was wearing a tank top, yoga pants, and flip flops and, although she was dressed to have a water gun fight, she was still the most beautiful woman Jane had ever seen. "Maura," Jane said, affectionately.

"Ma!" Vinnie tugged at Jane's arm. "Ma, can I open the present?"

"Vincenzo!" Jane responded, trying not to lose her patience.

"Let him open it," Maura insisted. "He could utilize it this afternoon."

Before Jane could respond, Vinnie ripped open the wrapping paper and saw the Super Soaker he had been wanting since the summer. "The Tri-Strike Crossbow!" he said while hugging Maura. "Thank you, Aunt Maura! Can you help me open it?"

"C'mon, buddy, let's open it outside so you could show your friends," Jeff told him. "Your Aunt Maura just got here. Give her some time to say hi to your Ma."

"Okay," Vinnie agreed, eager for his dad to join him outside. "Pop, you could use my old one now and play water gun war with me!"

"He's so excited about everything today," Jane said to her girlfriend when they were finally alone. "I love seeing him like this."

"I love seeing _you _like this," Maura said as she hugged her.

"Like what?"

"You're happy."

Jane gazed adoringly at her. "Because you and Vinnie make me happy." Had they been alone under any other circumstances, she would have leaned in to kiss Maura and it broke her heart to pull back from Maura's attempt at kissing her. "Maura, I can't kiss you at the party," Jane reminded her. "If Vinnie were to walk in or one of his friends—"

"Jane," Maura interrupted her. "I understand you can't kiss me at the party and I'm allowing you to make it up to me tonight at your apartment."

"You're allowing me?" Jane smirked, but the thought of spending an entire night kissing and cuddling Maura seemed like an ideal way to make it up to her until she remembered her talk with Mrs. Moretti. "Shit! Maura, I can't. Vinnie's friend is spending the night tonight after the party and I don't want him to get the wrong idea."

"The wrong idea?" Maura asked.

"Please don't think I'm denying you or I'm ashamed of being with you because I'm not," she said as she stood in front of Maura, afraid to reach out for her hand or give her a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm used to this in our relationship," Maura averted her eyes. "We should join everyone else outside now."

She wanted to tell her that the past two months that they've been in a relationship were two of the best months of her life, but instead she pulled Maura in and passionately kissed her in hopes of cheering her up. "Let's go outside," Jane smiled at her. "I'm choosing you as my partner in the water balloon toss and we have to beat Frankie and Tommy."

"And all of the eight-year-olds?" Maura laughed.

"Them, too."

Maura followed Jane to the backyard unbeknownst to them that Vinnie's best friend Aiden had witnessed the two of them kissing just seconds ago in the living room when he had went inside to ask Jane when the water balloon toss was going to start. He hid in the kitchen until he heard Jane and Maura exit through the back door. "I gotta tell Vinnie."


	3. Chapter 3

Vinnie had just finished showing off his new Super Soaker when his best friend Aiden ran over to him. "Vinnie, I gotta tell you something."

"Then tell me."

"Not here," Aiden said, urgently. "I gotta tell you in private."

Vinnie felt bad for leaving his other guests, but his best friend needed him and he didn't want to deny his best friend when he had something important to tell him. "Okay," Vinnie looked around. "Let's go to the living room."

With everyone in the backyard, Vinnie and Aiden found privacy in the living room, but before Aiden said anything he made another trip to the kitchen to make sure no one was in there. "Your mom kissed your aunt Maura!" Aiden blurted out.

"What?" Vinnie asked in disbelief.

"I said your mom kiss your aunt Maura," he repeated. "She kissed her on the lips."

"So?" Vinnie asked. "That doesn't mean anything. She's a girl."

"She's a girl and she kissed another girl," Aiden pointed out. "It's like they're in love or something."

"That's stupid," Vinne scoffed. "Girls are different from us and I know my mom can kick anyone's ass but she's still a girl and I guess she does weird things like other girls do. Just think of the girls at school. They hold hands with their friends. And when girls are adults, they don't hold hands but they'll kiss on the cheek or something. Guys don't do that. I'd never hold your hand."

"Gross."

"Yeah," Vinnie agreed. "I wouldn't hold your hand and my dad would never kiss another guy because guys don't do things like that but girls can. My mom and my aunt Maura are best friends and maybe they just kiss on the lips instead of the cheek."

"That's still weird, though."

"Yeah, but that's how it is."

"Are you sure?" Aiden asked. "Because if you're sure then I'm sure."

Vinnie had become frustrated. "My mom's not gay, Aiden! If she was gay she wouldn't have been with my dad and she wouldn't have been with that asshole Casey."

"I didn't say she was gay," Aiden argued. "Your mom is cool. I just wanted to tell you what I saw."

"You didn't see anything."

"But I―"

"You saw _nothing_," Vinnie stressed. "I don't want you telling anyone what you saw. I don't want you telling your mom or any of the guys. No one. You got it?"

"I got it," Aiden said as he took a step back. "Vinnie, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Vinnie insisted. "I just don't want anyone saying anything about my mom and I don't want anyone thinking she's gay when she's not. You know being gay is wrong, so why would you even say that about my mom?"

"So," Aiden hesitated. "You're sure it's nothing, right? Like I said, if you're sure then I'm sure."

"I'm sure."

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><p>When Vinnie returned to the backyard, he noticed that everyone was already pairing up for the water balloon toss. "You're with me and Maura," his mom smiled at him.<p>

"No, thanks," Vinnie told her. "I'd rather be with Pop or Aiden or anyone else."

Vinnie saw the hurt in his mom's eyes, but he couldn't stand to be around her after what Aiden had told him. He didn't want to tell Aiden, but there was something different about two women kissing each other on the lips. His mom and Aunt Maura weren't two little girls holding hands on the playground or two women quickly kissing each other on the cheek as a friendly greeting. What Aiden had saw was the two of them kissing on the lips and Vinnie knew exactly what that meant. His mom―his hero―was gay and he didn't know how to react to her.

He looked over at his mom, smiling and laughing with Maura. _She's happy and I want my mom to be happy, but what she's doing is wrong. She can't kiss Aunt Maura. Why am I calling her Aunt Maura? She's nobody in this family. She's not my aunt. She's nothing. Maybe my mom's not gay and Maura is making her think she is. My mom would be normal without her._

His mom and Maura were the first pair eliminated from the water balloon toss when Maura didn't catch the water balloon after the second toss. _She sucks at water balloon toss. Why is Ma gay for someone who sucks at water balloon toss?_

Vinnie and Aiden were the second to the last pair eliminated, but he was too upset about his mom to care about not winning the prize although it was a Hot Wheels car that he had wanted to add to his collection.

There were enough activities planned and enough children to play with for Vinnie to take his mind off of what Aiden had seen. He participated in every game and, when there were no games hosted by the adults, he made sure every child at the party was included in the activities he and Aiden came up with like Hide and Seek and Tag. Hosting a party was a big responsibility for Vinnie, so he was glad his dad and his uncles were there when things were beyond his control like the time two kids fought over whose turn it was on the Slip and Slide.

Little by little, his friends were picked up by their parents and Vinnie made sure every guest received a departing gift in the form of a goodie bag with candy and a small water toy inside. He had made those bags with his mom the night before while they watched a Red Sox game on TV. She had ordered a medium pizza for the two of them and they took breaks from making the bags to talk about sports and his day at school. She was his favorite person, but now all he wanted was to keep his distance from her until he sorted out what all of this meant for him.

"I'm going to help your grandma clean up and then we'll go home and have a living room campout," his mom told him. Vinnie loved living room campouts. His mom didn't have a yard so, instead, they'd pitch a tent in the living room and eat s'mores while they told ghost stories.

"I'd rather have a _real _campout," Vinnie told her. "Pop actually has a yard."

He noticed how nervous his parents were when they looked at each other. "I'll take Vinnie and Aiden for the night," his dad said.

Vinnie and Aiden hi-fived each other. "Alright!"

He expected his mom to say he had to be home early tomorrow because of Sunday dinner with Grandma and Grandpa, but instead she looked as if she was about to cry. _No, Ma, please don't cry. Just get rid of Maura. Everything will be okay again without Maura._


End file.
